What Hollande Did Not Say Matters

“On 16 November 2015, French president Francois Hollande addressed the parliamentary Congress in Versailles for the first time in his quinquenat.

“The speech was designed to announce France’s riposte to the terrorist attacks that took place in Paris on Friday 13 November.

“Among important proposals made were increases in the number of police forces that will be trained to fortify existing manpower charged with ensuring public security. He also proposed a constitutional amendment that will allow authorities more powers to react robustly to future terrorist attacks.

“While the speech was strong on combating the enemy with military force, it lacked much-needed specific proposals on how to prevent radicalisation of many young Europeans who have been steeped in this poisonous ideology of Islamic jihad against the world.”